01 August,2026 11:55 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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The Maharashtra government has constituted an expert committee to conduct a comprehensive performance audit of the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, with the aim of identifying shortcomings in its implementation and recommending measures to accelerate long-pending Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects across the state.
The committee, headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Housing), has been tasked with reviewing the functioning of the legislation and submitting its recommendations to the state government within 10 months, according to a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Friday.
The performance audit will assess how effectively the 1971 Act has been implemented over the years and identify administrative, legal and procedural bottlenecks that have delayed slum redevelopment projects.
The government expects the committee's recommendations to help streamline the rehabilitation process and improve the pace of redevelopment under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) will serve as the Member Secretary of the committee and coordinate its work.
The expert panel comprises senior officials from the Housing and Urban Development departments, along with representatives from key civic bodies and professional organisations.
Among its members are officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), as well as representatives from architects' associations to provide technical expertise on redevelopment issues.
The committee also includes BJP MLA Parag Alvani and Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale as political representatives.
The broad-based composition is intended to ensure that the committee considers administrative, legal, technical and stakeholder perspectives while reviewing the existing framework.
The state government said the committee has been constituted in compliance with directions issued by the Bombay High Court on May 8, 2026, in a suo motu writ petition concerning the implementation of the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971.
During the proceedings, the High Court observed that several stakeholders had expressed concerns over the functioning of the existing rehabilitation framework and called for an independent review of the law's implementation.
According to the Government Resolution, the High Court noted that developers, landowners, cooperative housing societies and legal experts had highlighted various issues affecting the execution of SRA projects.
These concerns reportedly include procedural delays, administrative hurdles and implementation challenges that have slowed the progress of rehabilitation schemes across Maharashtra.
In response, the court directed the state government to establish an expert committee to conduct a performance audit and recommend reforms.
The committee is expected to evaluate the effectiveness of the current legal and administrative framework governing slum rehabilitation and suggest practical measures to improve transparency, accountability and efficiency.
Its recommendations are likely to focus on simplifying procedures, addressing policy gaps and reducing delays in project approvals and implementation.
The government believes that the audit will help strengthen the implementation of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority's programmes and facilitate faster redevelopment of eligible slum areas while ensuring that the interests of residents and other stakeholders are adequately protected.
(With inputs from PTI)
